Rationing

[treeluva]

Today I got into a very interesting discussion about the "energy" crisis and possible solutions to the madness.

I was remember back when I lived in Germany, each family was "rationed" a certain amount of gasoline they could buy via gas coupons every month. When you registered your vehicle, you received the rations card and when you bought coupons, the clerk marked out how many liters you had purchased because they were used up. I was saying that although there may be some whiplash for instituting such a plan across the USA, it may actually be a good idea to lower consumption. (We got 400 liters a month, or roughly 100 gallons a month of gasoline.)

Which got me to thinking... our government probably will not go the rationing route, (at least not right now), isn't that what we are striving to do by living frugally? Ration ourselves and our consumption?


I know sometimes it is really hard for me to "think" frugally. Perhaps that is because I am really just starting the journey and the line of thinking is not engrained in me yet. But I am going to make myself my own "rations" cards for things to help lower my consumption of certain things and make me "think" about what I am purchasing and how I am living.

First, I am making one for gasoline. I am going to allow myself 60 gallons of gasoline a month to start with. That is filling up the car 3 times in one month for me. This is very practical, but it is just enough to where I do have to think about how I am driving. If I need to go over the 60 gallons, of course I will fill her up, but I will "Penalize" myself by having to match a dollar more for every gallon of gasoline that I use. (Which would go directly to debt reduction)

I am also going to look through my usages of water and electricity and give myself a realistic view of how much energy I use (and how much I waste!) and I will give myself a "rationed" amount water and electricity I have to use during the month. Of course, this means I will be out looking at my own meter everyday, (LOL just picturing that!) but it will make me more concious of how much I am actually using.

Plus, it makes it kinda like a challenge to me and forces me to focus.

For now, I am just going to start with gasoline, water, and electricity. I hope to continue with other areas I know I am wasteful in later. I don't want to overwhelm myself to start! Just those three will be a task among themselves!

[Momto2Boyz]

That is a good idea. Once you do the "rationing" for a while, the whole idea of it will be so ingrained into your brain, that it will always be in the back of your head.

DH and I are pretty good about things like that. I always think we need to lower our bills, but then I talk to friends/family, etc. and I realize that we are pretty low with our consumption.

Our water bill is half of the neighbors next door (which is a family of 4 vs. a family of 2).

We only own one car, and the car that we own, we only fill up with gas once every three weeks and sometimes we can stretch a month out of one tank. We think before we drive anywhere. If we can walk or ride our bikes, we do.

We've been a little luxuriant with the electricity this summer. DH is working outside in the 90+ degree heat and wouldn't be able to handle it, if he couldn't come home to the air. This is the first year we have used our air like this. Last year, I had it on for a total of 4 days (I think Dh figured we had used it about 20 hours total last summer). But actually, last month, I made other concessions, thinking I needed to keep the bill as low as possible. So we kept lights off, stopped using the stove (cooked on the grill, etc.) and even using the AC almost all the time, I lowered the electric bill $15! I was being so careful, becuase I was using more...I actually used less!

Good luck to you! You'll have to keep us posted on how your rationing works for you!

[MoonMommy]

When I first started staying home all day with my son, it was really hard to stay frugal. I would go to the store for entertainment and then I would end up with tons of unneeded crap in my basket. I had to train myself to only pick up stuff I needed. I know it was bad to do to those that worked at the store, but as I would walk towards the checkout, I would look at my cart and honestly ask myself if I needed it. If I didn't I would just leave it on the nearest shelf (as long as it wasn't a "cold" item). Now, I have gotten to the point where I can decide that before I put something in my cart.

I am pretty good with the household energy comsumption. My hubby, not so good. He is getting better however.

My personal goal is to get out of debt within the next few years so that we can do a "green" remodel on the house which will include a renewable energy source being added to the house (like solar panals) and a water saving device as well.

Good luck with your plan!!!

[YankeeMom]

The last thing I want is another government interference in my life. Rationing in the 70s was done because of a shortage, OPEC was holding back on their production (from what I can recall, I was quite young at the time and only remember what's been told to me).

Now, there were a few positives that came out of the rationing in the 70s. Car makers started making smaller, more fuel-efficient cars (we are already seeing this now, without rationing - car makers are slowing/stopping their production of big trucks and small cars are selling like hotcakes). Speed limits were introduced to help conserve fuel (I've already seen more talks of lowering some speed limits back down to 55mph). So all the benefits we got from rationing 30 yrs ago are already happening without the rationing. And oil prices are falling.

It would be nice if people (the ones with the hummers and the doolies) could ration themselves rather than needing the government to babysit them though.

[MomToTwoBoys]

I think this is a good first step into the general population self-regulating in terms of consumption. It's be a good way for people who had little self-control to keep track of their expenses and then adjust. I honestly think people could do with being more frugal but they're too stubborn to do so out of pride. I know that if I had been asked to be more frugal five or ten years ago, I'd have giggled at the idea. Sometimes it takes a strong wake up call to get people to realize they need to be smarter when it comes to how they take care of their financial well-being.

Every government needs to remind its citizens that there's ways to start at home without the interference of a hierarchy to do so.

[LexTysMommy]

About the checking the meter every day. LOL. we did that last summer for 3 months straight. It is very intersting. Here is thread i posted about it. http://www.daycareforums.com/forum/s...earchid=466325

good luck. i think rationing yourself if great idea. I may start that with gas too.

[paintedsky]

Wow, even a 100 gallon ration is more than I ever use, even driving back and forth to work and college. I use probably at most 50 gallons a month. I have a 4 cyl so it doesn't waste much gas. It would be nice if people could all care enough to conserve resources... Would be nice to drive the cost of these resources down a bit.

[Mo-BayMom]

I really like the self rationing idea! I grew up in the states and now live in Jamaica. Talk about a culture clash! These ppl down here KNOW the meaning of the term..reuse, recycle and reduce! They live it. Trust me. Nothing is thrown away that has some use. That was just a mind blower for me who grew up in a country that throws just about everything and anything away without thought. I've gotten to the point that before I dash something away I look at it and think how can I use this again? do I know someone who can use it?

[frugalnana]

I remember that treeluva. I was pretty impressed by it. When the mark when up to $3.20 to the dollar they lifted it some.
They also make all they're baked goods with less sugar and I tell you I never tasted the difference.
I already use less gasoline so maybe I need to follow and do the rest also. Thanks for the post.

[heartofmine]

Its a good idea but I already limit as much as I can. Living farther out in the country though its sometimes tough. I plan only one trip to town a week. I could get buy with every 2 for myself but I take care of the church treasury and have to make deposits each week so I have to go. I plan all my bill paying and groceries around being able to make the bank deposits. Trips that have to be made are church on Sunday, Sunday night, and any other services through the month. Those I won't miss. If I need something at the store that can't wait I can stop at Wal-mart since its right on the way of the trips to church. Other trips that have to be made are to help take care of my fil every other night of the week. My son has to take the car on those trips. My dh takes a company vehicle which provides his gas but he has to get up and go straight to work the next morning whether here or there. Its about 12 miles to church and about 11 to my fils. All necessary trips. This is for this summer. When college starts my children will be going to a school that is an hour drive 5 days a week. That is when gas consumption goes way up. Its cheaper to drive than for them to live there though.

[shoiji]

When I saw 100 gallons per month I thought wow that seems like a lot. Grant it don't have a car now, however the cars I did have were small and used little gas. It would be interesting to see what would happen if the government did step in and started rationing. Right now I don't understand why the government doesn't step in and tell the gas and car companies to start producing more energy efficient cars and gas companies to start making alternative fuel sources. I really don't see how looking into off shore drilling which won't produce anything for 10 years is really going to help in the long run. Also there is always seems to be references to the 70's. Well, that is over 30 years ago and we really haven't improved with the whole energy consumption. Meanwhile we can send things into outerspace and have the information come back to us. So it is hard to understand why the US has not done better on energy consumption. To me it just doesn't seem as if it was really a high priority in the US. It it was I think we would be in a better situation that we are now.

[treeluva]

100 gallons a month does seem like a lot. However, there are some things that probably make it that much in Germany. I know for me, I lived on one post, worked on another, did PT on yet another, and the daycare, grocery, PX, bank, etc was on yet ANOTHER. Everything wasn't all in one place or even in one area.

Some people lived about an hour from a military hospital. Or, if you did live near a military hospital, you still lived hours away from the "main" military hospital, which is where you would need to go for surgery.

And let's not forget, you are in Germany. You are going to want to travel and see the country! By having those 100 gallons, you are being allowed the opportunity to drive and see the country without having to pay the 1.69 euro per LITER that it costs on the economy for gasoline.

With all that being said, I NEVER went over 100 gallons in a month, and I traveled quite intensively throughout Germany for my job and for leisure. Once a month I would go buy 200 liters of gasoline, and that usually lasted me until the next month.

[frugalandsimple]

I try to be eco-friendly as much as possible and frugal at the same time. On my days off from work, I do my best to keep myself busy around my home so I don't need to waste gas to go anywhere and spend money on anything I don't really need. I also cook from scratch as much as possible too

[JanieD]

Limiting the amount of gasoline needed each week has been at the top for my list for awhile. My car gets poor gas mileage, but I work close to home, using less than 30 gallons a month. I try to group errands when I'm already out or even skip some if I can (mailing more & shopping less often). I feel others are starting to limit driving due to the high gas prices, but some won't until they are forced (by their own "budget" or other reasons). Many are look to 4 day work weeks or other ways to off set the amount of driving we must do. Making the effort to change our own "habits"... others will follow.